Paper receptacle or tray



A. T. VAN ALSTY-N.

PAPER RECEPTACLE 0R TRAY.

PLI ATION FILED AUG.23 l9l8 A i I 1,398,61 1 I Patentd Nov. 29, 1921.

a ssssssssssss 1.

Inz/niorr A. T. VAN ALSTYN.

PAPER RECEPTACLE 0R TRAY. APPLICATION FILED AUG-23. 918-.

1,398,.61 mama Nov. 29, 1921.

30 ing the guide-wayofthe tray or receptacle Swa "PATIENT. QFFICB- ALBERT '1. VAN ALsTYN, or GRAND RAr ns, MICHIGAN.

: rArER RECEPTA LE or; TR Y.-

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT Tr VAN A'Ls'rYN, a citizen of the United'States, re-

siding at' Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper Receptacles 0r Trays, of which the following is a specification. V p I This invention'relates to apaper receiv ing receptacle or tray, and more particularly to one adapted to be slidably mounted ona desk'or the like. Y Among the objects of my invention is to produce a paper receptacle affording the maximum of convenience to the'user and'of such nature whereby it may be quickly and easily slid forward into convenient position for use, pushed back outIof the way, or entirely removed from the desk as desired; further to slidably mount such receptacle on the upper portion of afdesk or the likein such manner that it may be instantly made available for use; further to provide means to prevent the tray or receptacle from be} ing inadvertently slid too iar in-either'afor- Ward or backward j direction when being used, and of such nature to permit the same to be entirely and'easily removedii'rom its guide-wayswhen desired; further to provide novel means for quickly 'and firmlyclampin position on the upper portion of; the desk departing from the spirit or the like; further to make'such clamping means adjustable whereby the device may be used in connectionwith" desks ofdi-i ferent dimensions; further to provide a desk tray that will'be'cheap' to' manufacture and simple and efficacious in operation; and such further objects, advantages andcapa; bilities as will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the Zoombinatiou construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying-drawings, and while I have'shown therein'apre ferred embodiment of my invention 1 'de-' sire it to be understood that the sameissus ceptible of modification and change without Oi-myZinVentijOn. In the drawings;- 1 I L; Figure lshows a perspective view of a desk having my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional I View taken through my improved sliding Specification of DettersBatent. Patented N0 29, 19 21 Application filed August 23,1915. serial no. 251,048.

Q'Fi'gul: is aplan View or" my new paper view-of the blank I from which the body portion'sho'wnin Fig.

from which the bottom shown'i'n' Fig. 6 is formed.

- Fig. 9 shows alongitudinal vertical section 'through the upper portion of a desk top having mounted thereon'a modifiedlform of base portion. v p a F i'g.plOshows this base portion in .per- SPBCtlVQflIlCl removed from the desk top; Fig. 11 is a' fragmentary perspective View of the front end of this base portionwith the clamping plate removed. V I

Fig.12'shows a perspective view of the clampingplate in position to be inserted into the base portion.

be adapted to a-flat top desk.

. Referring to the drawings, my improved device comprises the base portion 1 and the sliding tray 2, the formerof whichis pro-- vided at its rear edge 'withthe downwardly g0 Fig. 13 illustrates how my invention may n a extending lip or flange 3 havin; at its lower edge the inturned portion 4:. he baseportion'l is also provided adjacent 'its forward edge, wlth the downwardly extending resili-' ent tonguess5 which, when the base portion is formed of sheet metal will be stamped from-the body portion'of the metal as shown it being bvious-that any desired 7 number of these tongues may be provided;

In the form shown in'Figs. 2 and 4 the tongues 5' are formed integrally with the body of. the base portion; however, in :order to permit"adjustability whereby the base portion-may be applied to desksoi' different dimensions these'tongues 5 may bearranged as; illustrated in'Figs. 9 to 12' which will be 1- hereinafter more fully described; L The slidin'gtray '2 when of sheet metalis formed from-the tWoblanks-LO and 11, the former forming-the bottom and the latter the sides. The blank'll as seen in F igl '7. is

provided with the short slots 12 "and the curved ends 13; and by bending this blank along-vertical lines at the slots 12 it will be brought into the formv shown in Fig. 5,-in v which it will be seen the metal blank 11 is 60. a Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the bottom also bent along the dotted line 14 to form the outwardly extending flanges 15 at the bottom of the vertical walls 16. The blanlr 10 is then applied to the bottom of the body portion just described and the edges 17 are bent upwardly and inwardly over the flanges 15 in'which position they may be secured by swaging or otherwise, as desired. This results in a simple and easily formed basket bottom of the tray, which are in effect in the completed tray outwardly extending flanges around its lower edge.

From the above description it will be seen that the base portion 1 may be quickly ap- I plied to the top of a desk as illustrated in Fig. 2 and the tray slidably mounted therein by means of the flanges 23 fitting within the guiderways 22. When it is. desired'to use the tray for the reception of letters, papers or the like it may be quickly and easily pulled forward into position over the front part of the desk, as shown in Fig. 1, and when not inactive use it may ,be'pushed rearwardly into an out of the way position on top of the desk as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1. Also should it be desired when collectingv the letters, papers or the like from the basket the entire basket or tray may be removed by pulling the tray entirely outof the guide-ways 22,,thus permitting the tray with its contents to be filed away or transported to any place desired. Q I

In order to prevent the tray being inadvertently entirely removed from the guideways when being pulled forward or pushed backward out of the way, I have provided the stop means illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, ,3, 4 and 6, which is described as follows. The blank from which the bottom portion 10 of the sliding tray is formed is provided with the slits 31, 32 and; 33. The metal between the slits 31 is pressed upwardly to form the elevated portion 30- shown in Fig. 6, and which elevated portion is provided with the perforation 36 for a purpose to be hereinafter pointed out. It is obvious, of course, that insteadof-providing slits 31 the elevated'portion 30 could be formed by being pressed into shape without the use of slits if desired. It will be noticed that this ele vatedportion 30 islocated adjacent the rear end of the bottom 10. As seen'in Fig. 10

a the base portion 1 has punched therefrom and. bent "slightly upwardly the resilient tongues 37 and 38. The metal between the shts32-and 33 inthe blank fromwhich-the tray bottom 10 is formed is curved upwardly as indicated in Fig. 6 to form the tongues 39 and 40. 7

From this arrangement it' will be seen that the tray may be readily slid into position upon the base portion 1 'by virtue of the fact that the tongues 39 and 40 will ride over and. press downwardly the tongues 37 and 38 into flat posit-ion (see tongue 37 in Fig. 2). When the tray has been pulled out overfthe top of the desk until the recess formed beneath the upstanding portion 30 7 toward the front of the base portion the basket may be readily slid backward into position shown on the right hand side of Fig. 1 when not in use, and during'such rearward movement the tongue 37 Wlll be 2 again depressed by reason. of the fla t bottom of the bottom portion 10 of the tray riding ther'eover. a

WVhen the tray has reached-the position shown at the right in'Fig. 1 the tongue 38 will then be in registry with the recess be.

neath the elevated portion 30, at which time this tongue will snap upwardly and be in position to engage the shoulder 35 at the front edge ofthe recess, thus preventing the tray from being slid toofar to the rear. 7

WVhen it is desired to entirely remove the tray from the base portion all that isnecessar through the opening36 and depress whichever tongue 37 or 38 isin registry there- 'with, after whichthe tray may be easily entirely removed from the base portion.

is to insert a pencil or the finger Referring. now to the means to makepissible the adjustment of the base portion, to desk topsofvarying widths, and referring to Figs. 9 to 12, it will be seen that instead of stamping the-tongues 5 from the base portion 1, I may provide at the front end of the base portion the clamping plate 41, which is slidably. engaged between the.

guide-ways 42 and 43, formed by providing suitable flanges to the underneath. side of the base portion 1. Pressed from'the metal of the base portion 1 and extending down wardly therefrom is the resilient tongue 41-1. At the rear end of the clamping plate 41 is provided the downwardly curved resil ient tongue 45, while at the forward edge of this plate is the flange 46, by means of which the same may be manipulated. In the upper central line, of the plate 41 is provided a plurality of transverse slots 47, the rear edges of which are bent down-. wardly to form the projections 48.- Any desired number of these slots may be provided, the essential requirement being that a es-e11 so that fwhenithe resilient tongue 45-"has beenipressed-firml'y against the forward edge of thedesk top there-will be slot 47 in appropriate position to permit the resilient tongue Ate-to springthereinto, and bear with its'fre'e 'end aga'inst one of the downwardly extending pro jectionsef, whereby to thus firmly-,clamp the base portion in'posi tion upon the-desk "t'op' as clearly seenin Fig. 9.

drawers, pigeon holes, or the like, the top portion 51, and be readily and easily secured in position upon the fiat'top desk by means; of any desired member of 'clamps52," or" ordinary flat top desk when itis 'desiredto use the same in connection therewith. I

While I have illustrated my improved device as being formed from sheet metal; it 'is obvious that the samemayT-be formed of any other suitable material without departing from the spirit of my invention. Having now described my invention I claim:

1. In a desk tray, a base portion adapted to be attached to the upper portion of a desk, a paper-receiving tray slidably mounted in said base portion, means to prevent said tray being inadvertently slid entirely out of said base portion, and said means com-' prising a recess in one ofsaid parts and a finger on the other of said parts, said finger adapted to enter'said recess when registering therewith.

2. In a device of the class described, a base portion adapted to be attached to the'upper portion of a desk and externally thereto, a paper-receiving tray slidably mounted in said base portion, said base portion and said tray having inter-engaging flanges serving as guideways, means to prevent said tray beinginadvertently slid entirely out of said base portion, said means being operable to permit said tray to be removed from the base portion when desired and comprising a resilient tongue on the base portion to engage a recess in the bottom of the tray.

3. In a device of the class described, a base portion adapted to be attached to the upper portion of a desk, a paper-receiving tray slidably mounted in said base portion, said base portion being adjustable whereby to accommodate desks of different dimensions. r

4. In a device of the'class described, a base portion, guideways formed in said base portion, a tray having flanges slidably mounted in said guideways, stop means to Referring to Fig." 13, it will be seen that my device'may be readily: adapted to a flat top desk by providinga-simple cabinet struo-i' ture' indicated at '50 which' may' contain 'limit-theI-sl'iding 'n ovementlof said my;

said stop means being operable to permit the tray to beentirely withdrawn from said 'guideways,and means on said base portion to attach the same to the upper'portionfof a desk, said last mentioned means being ad- .ju'stable whereby tofacconnnodate desks or differentdimensionsI 5. Ina 'slid'abledesk tray a basev portion, guideways formedinsaid base portion, a fixedflangeat one end of saidba'se'portion, and an adjustable flange" adj acent its other end-whereby said baseportion maybe ad- 1 v justed -to clamp overdesks of varying" dimensions.

6. In a desk side walls, outwardlyextending flanges on said side walls, a bottom portion having-its edges bent up over said flanges, and'a base portion having its longitudinal edges bent upwardly and inwardly whereby to formcp. posed guideways-to slid'ably receivecertain of said bent 7. In a device'of the class described, a base portion, a tray slidably mounted on said base? portion, and resilient tonguescarried by and depending from the lower side of said base portion and suitablyspaced whereby to permit said tongues to grip over the top edgesof a desk to hold said base'portion thereon.

' 8. Ina device of the class described, a base portion having guideways thereon, a tray having overhanging means extending laterally therefrom slidably engaging said guideways, a resilient stop 'on one of said parts and adapted to permit said tray to slide along said base portion until a prede termined position is reached, and means on. the other part to engage said stop when reg tray'a body portion having l over edges of said bottom poristering therewith to prevent withdrawal of said tray, said stop being releasable to permit complete withdrawal of said tray when 10. In a device of the class described a base ortion a tra slidabl mounted thereon a p 7 y y 7 flange at one end of said base portion adapted to take over one edge of a desk top, and a. clamping plate adjacent the other end of said base portion adapted to bind against the opposite edge of said desk top, and means cooperating between said base portion 1 and said clamping plate wherebysaid plate fingers on the other of said parts said fingers adapted to respectlvely enter said .recess when registering therewith.

maybe adjusted to various positions to accommodate. desk tops of difl'erent Widths, said means comprisinga resilient tongue'on one of said parts and series of slots in the other of said parts.

.11. In a device of the class described, a

base portion adapted to be attached to the upper portion of av desk, a paper-receiving tray slidably mounted in said base portion, means to prevent said tray being inadvertently slid entirely out of said base portion,

and said means comprising a recess in one of said parts and a pair of spaced resilient 12. In a device of the class described, a base portion adapted to be attached to the upper portion of a desk, a paper-receiving tray'slidably mounted in said base portion,

means to prevent said tray being inadvertently slid entirely out of said base portion, and said means comprising a recess in one of said parts and a pair of spaced resilient fingers on the other of said parts said fingers adapted to respectively enter said recess 'WhBI). registering therewith, and means permitting either of said fingers to be remov ed from said slot when in engagement therewith to permit thetray to be entirely reing as guideways, means to prevent. Said described, a i

tray from being inadvertently slidentirelyout of said base portion, said meansrcomprising a recess and a tongue andbeingoperable to permit-said tray to be removed from the base portionwhenfdesired, said recess comprising an indentation'o-f. the

metal of the tray, and said indentedmetal having an aperture therethrough'permitting access'to the tongue to operate same to release the tray for complete Withdrawal.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification in the presence of a witness. I

ALBERT T. VAN ALSTYN,

Witness: 1

H. L. CHAPMAN. 

